New Holland Cup 2023: Narromine Gorillas score round one win over Dubbo Rhinos

In the case of the Narromine Gorillas, the old story of the scoreboard not telling the full story couldn't be more true for much of the past two years.

The Gorillas have been the cellar-dwellars of the New Holland Cup after a stack of old heads - many of them multiple premiership winners - decided to hang up the boots.

It would be enough to rock any club and at one point there was real fear there wouldn't be a new generation to take their place in the red and white.

But the young brigade arrived, and arrived in good numbers to help everyone involved keep the faith.

After a couple of tough years learning what's required in the top grade, the youthful Gorillas entered the 2023 season in a positive frame of mind and it showed on Saturday as they scored a 20-12 round one win over the Dubbo Rhinos.

"We've won three games in the past two years but we're still building numbers. That says enough about the culture," Gorillas captain and scrumhalf Hughie Browning said at full-time.

"They're all young blokes and I'd say the average age in first grade is 22 and it's the same in second grade.

"We've got 35-year-olds playing with 16-year-olds there. There's some transition there but it's exciting."

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With Browning, Euan Truscott, Alex Heap, Charlie Bible and Hamish Job among the new generation and playing in key positions, and former Australian rugby sevens representative Pat McCutcheon coaching the side, there's reason for excitement to build at Cale Oval.

McCutcheon provides a wealth of experience and having someone of his profile guiding the young players across first and second grade is a huge positive for the club.

"It's been a long time coming," Browning said of Saturday's performance.

"The last couple of years we had a lot of old blokes retire and we're a very young club but we band together and play the style of footy we want to play and we all get along.

"We're good mates off the field and I think that shows on the field. Everyone digs deep regardless of size or the conditions. We play for each other."

While the unity was clear to see in the Narromine side, a new-look Rhinos team struggled to click for much of Saturday's contest.

While the defensive effort of the first half - when the Gorillas dominated the ball but only led 8-0 at the break - impressed coach Doug Sandry it's clear this side is a work in process.

The loss of the likes of Nash Forgione and Matt Graham as well as the departure of hugely talented youngsters Nick Barton and Lachie O'Malley has left a hole in the side and while new co-captains Dale Smith and Joe Raikabula were full of effort on Saturday, there was clear frustration within the new-look side.

That frustration boiled over at times and both Smith and Naibuka Mara were yellow-carded at different times and it wasn't until Travis Hill - someone a little older - came into one of the playmaking positions in the second half did things appear more smooth.

The Rhinos got back to 13-7 at one point after a fantastic 70m effort featuring a number of players was finished by Ava Sanga, but that was as good as it got as a late Gorillas try sealed it.

"That leadership thing is difficult," Sandry said.

"We sent Travis Hill out off the bench in the second half and he did a terrific job of turning them around and he got us playing in the right direction and that's an experience thing.

"It's going to come, it just takes time. The great thing is we've still go 14 rounds to go."

The Gorillas were far from perfect as well and the first half was a dour affair as both side showed early season rust and struggled to hold the ball.

It took 37 minutes for the first points and it came after one of the Rhinos' many penalties.

Narromine's Dan Battishall took a quick tap close to the line and crashed over to give his side the advantage.

Mara was binned for a high shot soon after and Heap's succesaful penalty made it 8-0 at the break.

The second half was similar to the first as Narromine dominated the ball but failed to make it count.

Only when Smith was shown yellow for dissent to the Gorillas build meainingful pressure again and score via Job following a rolling maul.

Sanga's highlight-reel worthy try got the Rhinos back in it but a five-pointer for Jack Bender secured the win for the Gorillas before Eroni Turagatautoka scored right on full-time as a consolation for the visitors.

"It's the first round of footy. You've got to play smart footy and earn the right to go wide," Browning said.

"We did that and our backs finished it off nicely. There's plenty we can work on, being the first round, but I'm pretty happy with it."

And as for the Gorillas chances for the rest of the year?

"There's always belief," Browning added.

"Even last year. Look at the stats and the majority of them were losses but there was only a try or two in it. I think this year we'll stick to the style of footy we want to play and stick with each other and at the end of the day that's what will get us over the line.

"That's a good start."

In Saturday's other match, Mudgee defeated Parkes.

Narromine travels to Parkes to take on the Boars in round two while the Rhinos will host CSU, who enjoyed a round one bye.

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